Clint Rickards leaves court yesterday. Photo / Getty Images
The woman who has accused suspended police Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards and two former policemen of sexual violation today described to a court how she struggled with the three men before they allegedly attacked her.
The woman, who was 16 at the time of the alleged assault in
the 1980s, told the High Court in Auckland today that they said before the alleged indecent assault with a bottle: "For such a little thing she is a fighter."
Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and indecently assaulting the girl 23 years ago in Rotorua.
The woman described how she had gone to a house where she said Shipton joked about them having sex. She claimed Shipton said: "She's not going to go willingly."
The woman, who cannot be named, told the court: "It was just like a big joke to them. Like, oh, she's not going to come willingly."
She described struggling as she was taken into a room at the house and claimed Shipton produced some handcuffs and handed them to Rickards.
She said: "I couldn't tell you if it was Rickards or Mr Schollum who did the handcuffing." Her right hand at least was handcuffed to a bedpost, she said.
The woman described "begging and pleading" as three policemen laughed while assaulting her.
The court heard yesterday that the girl was in a consensual sexual relationship with Shipton at the time of the alleged attack.
The woman told the court the attack ended when Schollum said: "She's had enough now."
She then said the others left the room while Schollum stayed behind, initally saying it was going to be all right but not to tell anybody.
She said he then made a threat: "I could suffer more for it and so could my family."
The trial, which is in its second day, continues.
- Additional reporting NZPA
